Typewriting machine



Jan. 12 1926.

A. G. F. KUROWSKI TYPEWRITING MACHINE Filed March 8, 1925 Patented Jan.12, 1926.

UNITED 'STATES ALFRED G. F. KUROWSKI, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOUNDERWOOD' PATENT OFFICE.

TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION DELAWARE.

'rYrEWRI'rING MACHINE.

Application filed March 8, 1923. Serial No. 623,622.

In a typewriting machine, in which theV platen is mounted in a frameshiftable on the main frame of the machine between case positions, afeature of the invention is the provision of means for deadening thenoise of impact of the platen-frame on its return to lower-case positionon its seat o-n the main frame, or on its seat onthe carriage which hasmovement in letter feed and return directions on the main frame.

In the preferred form of the invention,

- the noise-deadening means, referred to, consist of springs at thefront and rear of the platen-frame and at the sides thereof between theplaten-frame and the side pieces of the carriage,r the springs beingleafsprings folded in U-shape and having their` free ends held inpartial compression by' pins, carried by ears on the fixed portions ofthe springs, to determine the normal setting of the springs and normalor lower case position of the platen-frame; the rear springs beingaffixed to the platen-frame and the front springs to the carriage sidepieces.

A further feature of the invention is the provision of a cushion,preferably in the form of a spring, for deadening the^noise of impact ofthe platen-frame as the sameA is arrested in upper-case position, and ofmeans for adjusting the setting of the cushion to the requiredupper-case position of' the platen.

A feature of the invention is the provision of means for deadening thenoise of impact of the shift-key lever against 'its stop-on return ofthe lever to normal position.

In a machine in which a detent-arm is engageable with a line-spaceratchet-wheel for holding the platen in the position to which it hasbeen line-spaced, andv in which an arm or cam piece, preferably pivotedto swing around the axis of the platen, is rovided to throw such detentclear of the ratchet-wheel, and to hold the same clear" of theratchet-wheel, for rotary setting of' the platen independent of thedetent-device, a feature of the. invention is thel provision of meansfor preventing loose play of such detent-controlling device and fordeadening the noise ot' any movements thereof.

In a. machine in which line-space movement of the platen is effected bya/'pawl-andratchet device, a feature of the invention is the provisionof simple and reliable means for throwing the. pawl clear of the ratchetpreliminary to the return movement of the pawl to normal position, andfor holding it clear of the ratchet during such return movement toprevent noise or rattle of the pawl on the ratchet.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view', in side elevation,take at the left-hand side of the machine on the line 1-1 of Figure 2.l

Figure 2 is a top pl-an'view of the lefthand end of the carriage; theleft-hand side .plate of the platen-frame being partly broken away fordisclosure of parts beloi1K1 the same.

Figure 3 lis a view, in front elevation, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure1.

Figure f1 is a perspective view of the delvice for 'disengaging theline-space pawl from the line-space ratchet wheel for returningptheline-space mechanism to normal position; the spring forming part of thedevice being shown as separated from the rest of the device for clearerillustration.

The platen 10 is fast on an axle 11,r jour#v -naled in the side plates12 of a platen-frame rshiftable up and vdown between case-posi-A,bracket 19, secured to the bar`18,,carries a roller 20 supported on arail 21 on a device which lifts the platen-frame from one case-positionto another. This device comprises a pair of bell-cranks 22,' which carrylthe rail 21 and which rre pivoted to the main frame 23, at 24. Theother arm of. one of the bell-cranks is cngageable by the arm 26 of abell-crank shift-lever fulcrumed on the main frame at 27. This levercomprises an arm 2., which extends forward to the keyboard 2t), and atits forward end carries a shift-key 30. A coilspring 3l, engaging` theunder edge of the shift-lever, returns the same to normal position andholds the same up in normal position. Depression of the shift-key 3()'auscs the arm 26 to swing the shifter forward and upward; thus liftingthe Iail 2l and the platen-frame supported thereby. When the shift-key30 is released, the platen-frame,unless locked, is returned by gravityto its original position, carrying the shifter with'it. Ihe carriage 13has movement in letter feed and return directions on the main fame. Forthis purpose, it is supported at its rear on a rail 32, and at its frontcarriesI a roll 33, by means of which it is supported on a rail 34 onthe main frame. The machine shown is a frontvstrike machine; one of thetype-bars being indicated at 35.

In the normal or lower-case position of the platen-frame. the latter issupported at its rear on a pair of posts 36, one at each side of thecarriage, and carried by the side pieces 37 of the carriage. As shown inFigures l and 2, the side plates 12 of the platen-frame have outturnedflanges 38. Secured to each of these flanges, by screws 39,

is a leaf-spring 40, which extends from itsV point of attachmentforward, as at 41, and which. is then turned on itself at 42, and foldedback over the corresponding post 36 on the carriage. As the platen-framedrops by gravity to lower-case position. the springs 40 engage the topsof the posts 36 and serve to vsupport the carriage on the posts. Thesprings 40 thus cushion the blow which the platen-frame would otherwisegive the posts, and deaden the sound of such blows. The set of theleaf-springs is such that they are always under compression, with theparallel legs thereof tending to spread apart. This tendency of eachspring is resisted, and the normal setting of thespring determined, bymeans of a pin 43, which projects under the lower free end of thespring, and which is carried by an ear 44 turned down from theforwardly-extending upper reach 4l of the sp1-mg.

The forward portion of the platen-il rame. in the lower-case position ofthe latter, is supported by the side pieces 37 of the carriage. For thispurpose (see Figures 1 and 2), the side plates 12 of the platen-frame,at their frontl ends, have inturned anges 45. In the present invention,however, the lower edges of these flanges ldo not actually engage thecarriage-pieces 37, but, in lower-case position, rest upon leaf-springs46, secured by 'screws 47 to the carriage-pieces 37. These' springsextend from their point of attachment rearward along the carriage-pieces37, and are then first turned forward, and then again rearward, inZ-shaped formation, terminating at their free ends 48 below thev flanges45 of the platen-frame. Like the springs 40, the springs 46 are undercompression. lins 49, overlying the upper reaches of the springs 46,determine the normal setting of the springs, and resist the expansionthereof beyond such normal setting. Vlhese pins` 4S) are carried by ears50, turned up from the side edges of the lower reaches of the springs46. As the platen-frame returns to lower-case position, the flanges 45thereof engage the springs 46, and the latter, yielding downward,cushion the blow of such return movement. After the original yield ofthe springs 40 and 46, the same have a reflex action determined by thepins 43 and 49, so that the platen-frame assumes the normal positionshown in Figure 1.

The throw of the platen-frame to uppercase position is determined byengagement of the upper edges of lugs 51, one on each side plate 12 ofthe platen-frame, with the free ends of springs 53. secured to the sidepieces 37 of the carriage. The springs 53 are leaf-springs, which arefolded, at 54, at their forward portions. and have two legs and 56. Theupper leg 56 has its rearwardv free end turned down, at 57, to the uppersurface of the lowerY leg 55, thus stiffening the free end 52 of thespring which receives the impact of the lug 51 on the platen-frame. Thesprings 53 are set into grooves 58 in blocks or lugs 59 on thecarriage-pieces 37, and are held therein by the heads 60 of screws 61,which thread into the carriage side-pieces between the upper and lowerlegs of the springs. The grooves 58 are inclined downward and rearward.and, when the screws 61 are loosened, the springs may be shifted ineither direction along the grooves to raise or lower .the free ends 52of the springs, and thus to adjust the upper-case position of theplaten-frame. As the platen-frame comes to upper-case position, the lugs51 strike the ends 52 of the springs. and the latter yield to cushionthe blow, thus deadening the sound, and then have a reflex action to thenormal setting, which is the upper-case position of the platen-fran'le.

The shift-key-levers` as well as the other key-levers. are ordinarilyguided in a combplate supported by the front corner-posts of the mainframe. and are arrested in upper normal position by this plate, afteroperation thereof. As hereinbefore stated, a feature of the invention isthe deadening of the noise of impact of the shift-leveren the comb-plateor other stop on return to normal posit-ion. This is accomplished bymeans of a spring 62, secured by a screw 3 I horizontal cross-section.

to the innerface of the corner-post casting 6l; the casting beingordinarily of L-shaped The spring may have a flange 55 thereon, turnedover the edgey ofthe corner-post, to hold the spring against angulardisplacement. Belowv the screw 63, thel spring is turned rearward fromthe inner face of the corner-post,vand then forward, in the form of a U,terminating in a tip 66 in vertical' alignment with the upper edge ofthe shift-key-lever As the latter is thrown upward by the spring 31, orby the gravity return of the platenframe acting through the shifter andthe lever-arm 26, the upper edge of' the shiftlever strikcs'the' tip 66of the spring 62, and the lever is thereby cushioned and its normalVposition determined. i

A further feature has been stated to be the provision of means foravoiding the. noise or rattle of the line-space pawl on the linespaceratchet-wheel during the return of the line-spacing mechanism t'o normalposition. rlhe line-space mechanism shown in the drawings is thatAordinarily present in the Underwood standard typewriting machine.Briefly, it comprises a ratchet-wheel 67,- fast to, or adapted to bemade fast to` the platenaxle 11. The teeth of the ratchet-wheel areengageable by the tooth 68 of a pawl 69, pivoted at 70 on a slide 71,mounted to have movement back and forth in a guideway on the left-handplate 12 of the platen-frame.-

A coil-spring 72, connected at. its rear end, at 7 3, to the, slide 71,and, Iat its front end, at 74, to a lug on the platen-frame, returns theslide, with the pawl thereon, to normalposition. A bell-crank line-spacelever, pivoted at on the platen-frame, for angular movement in ahorizontal plane, hasom. arm 75l Vthereof in positionto engage a flangeor offset 7 6 at the forward part of the slide,'toelfec-t rearwardline-spacing movement of the slide with the pawl, and has the other arm77 thereof extended forward, with a finger-piece 78 on theend thereof,for operation of the line-space mechanism. The spring 72 acts throughthe slide 7l to return the line-space lever to normal position aftereach line-'spacing operation. The pawl 6 9 tends by gravity tod-rop andrest upon the topy of the ratchet-wheel. This action is, however, mademore `certain `by means of a leaf-spring 79, attached at one end to theplaten side-plate, and bearing at its free end on thefupper edge of thepawl. In the return movement of the lslide with the' pawl tonorma'lfposition, the pawl therefore rests upon, or isfpressed against,the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, and, as it passes over the teeth,it'cr'eates objectionable rattle or noise.

To avoid this noise, the pawl, at the outset ofits retuin movement, islifted clear of the teeth y of the -ratchet-wheel bv 'the device shownin- Figure 4. This device consistsA of its vangular movement.

an arm 8() on a hub 81, journaled on a hub or boss 82 which forms theextended bearing of the platen-axle at the left-hand side plate 12 ofthe platen-frame. The arm 80, near the end thereof', has a cam-slot 83therein; and into this cam-slot projects a pin 84 on the side face ofthe pawl 69 beyond the tooth 68 of the pawl; The shape ofthe slot issuch as to guide the pawl 'down onto the ratchetwheel, or at least topermit the pawl to drop upon the ratchet-wheel,,when the pawl-slidestarts rearward, but to cam the pawl up clear of the ratchet-wheel whenthe slide starts forward in its return movement. The hub 81 of 'the arm80 is journaled for angular rearward and forward swing so as `toparticipate in the movements of the pawl-slide, and not to obstruct suchmovements. 1n order, however, that the camming, referred to, may takeplace, the pawl-slide, at the commencement of its movements rearward andforward, must have movement relative to the cam-arm in other words, atsuch times, the cam-arm 80 should be held against This temporary holdingof the cam-arm is effected by means of a leaf-spring 85, riveted at 86to the arm 80, and having its free end set into a groove or cut 87 whichextends crosswise of the hub 81, through the latter, at such a depth asto permit the spring to bear upon the boss orhub '82 on theplaten-frame, within the hub 81. The pressure of the spring 85 ever,been attained while the arm 80*- was held frictionally by the spring tothe boss 82. The arm 80 being held by the Spring 85, as the pawl-slidestarts forward to nor- Y mal position, the pin 84 'on the pawl rides upthe slot 83 to lift the pawl-from the ratchet-wheel, whereupon, with"the pawl thuscl'eared of the ratchet-wheel, the arm 80 is rockedforward, holding the pawl in its elevated position. Upon rearwardmovement of the pawl, the slot 83 first guides the pawl into engagementwith the teeth of` the ratchet-wheel, and then, upon further rearwardmovement of the pawl, the arm 80 is carried therewith in theline-spacing operation.

In order that, line-spacing movement of the platen having been effected,theplaten may be held against accidental displacement, a detent-deviceis ordinarily employed. vThis isshown as a roller 88, set into a voke 89on an arm 90, pivoted at 91 to the side plate` of the platen-frame. Aspring 92, bearing at one end against a pin 93 on the platen-Iratchet-wheel.

in the Underwood machine a cam-device consisting of an arm or plate 95,having a cam edge or surface 96 thereon for engagelnent with the roller88 to throw the roller from the ratchet-wheel. lThe plate 95 is providedwith a yoke or semi-circular bearing 97, by

means of which it may be journaled, for angular movement, on a hub 98 onthe platenaxle. The arm or plate 95 carries a fingerpiece 99, by meansof which it may be swung upward around the. axis of the platen as acenter, to cause the cam-edge 96 to throw off the arm 90 and roller 88against thc action of the spring 92. thrown by the finger-piece to theFigure 1 position, it permits the roller SS to be thrown by the spring92 into cont-act with the teeth .of the ratchet-wheel.

The drawings indicate, in a general way, the mechanism, more fully shownand de- 3" scribed in U. S. Letters Patent to W. F.

Helmond, No. 1,150,366, dated August 17, 1915, vfor permittingadjustment of the j platen relatively to the ratchet-Wheel, forreleasing the platen for such adjustment, and

for positively holding the platen in any adjnsted position. Theratchet-wheel 67 is fixed to the hub 98 of a clutch-member 100.

Another clutch-member, not shown, but shown in the Helmond patentreferred to, is set Within the clutch-member 100, and is made fast tothe platen-axle 11. The platen and its axle 11 turn freely with respectto the hub 98 of the clutch-member 100, and ratchet-wheel mountedthereon, until the inner clutch-member, not shown, is locked to theclutch-member 100. After such locking, therplaten may be rotated bymeansb of the ratchet-wheel. When the clutch-members are unlocked, theplaten and platen-axle may be turned by means of a hand-wheel 101 on theend of the platen-axle. As shown in the Helmond patent referred to, alocking device 102, movable longitudinally of the platen-axle, isemployed for locking and unlocking the clutch-members.

As above stated, it vis upon the hub 98 of ,the clutch-member 100 thatthe yoke or Semicircular bearing 97 of the detent-release device orcam-plate 95 is journaled. The pressure of the spring 92, actingthrough. the detent-arm 90, on the periphery of the camplate may serveto hold the yoke or semicircular bearing 97 of the latter on the hub 98.vTo prevent vibration ofthe yoke 97 onto and off of the hub 98, and toavoid the Vhcn the cam-plate is* To prevent' play of the yoke thecani-plate 95. This spring is branched .f

t-o have prongs which extend along the branches ot' the yoke. Theseprongs or branches of the spring, as shown at 106, are hent\or belliedoutward from the yoke intermediate their ends, so as to provide abearing for the springs on the right-hand face of the clutch-member 100.The spring 101 heing thus compressed het een the cluteh-memlm- 10() andyoke 97, the latter is held by the spring in its extreme righthandposition, against play longitudinally of lthe hub, and with the flange103 of the yoke within the groove in the face of the ratchet-wheel. Inthis manner, the camplate 95 is held against vibration in any direction,and noise from this part of the mechanism is eliminated. The Spring willyield to permit the yoke to be slid leftward sullc-iently to clear theflange 103 of the ratchet-wheel, thus permitting removal of thecam-plate. Otherwise, as above noted, the spring. by holding the iiange103 in the ratchet-wheel, provides positive interlocking of theratchet-Wheel and cam-plate 95 to prevent vibration in the plane of thecamplate.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, andportions of the improvements may be used without others.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. I n a typewriting machine, a platen, a frame for the platen, asupport for the platen-frame, means for shifting the platenframe betweencase posit-ions on its support, and a .spring-seat for the platen-frameon its support to cushion and sound-deaden the impact of theplaten-frame against the support when the platen-frame is arrested 1nthe'movement thereof from one to another case position; the spring-seatcomprising a folded leaf-spring secured to the platenframe, and anabutment on the support for engagement with the free end of theleafspring, one reach of the leaf-spring having an ear 'thereon and apin on the ear for engagement with the other reach of the leafspring tohold t-he sprimr partially compressed and to 'determine the normalsetting of the platen-frame on its support.

2. In a typewriting machine, a platen, a

frame for the platen, a support for the platen-frame, means for shiftingthe platenframe between ease positions on its Support, and alspring-seat for the platen-frame on its support to cushion andsound-deaden the iinloo pact of the platen-frame against the supportwhen the platen-frame is arrested in the movement thereof from one toanother case position; the spring-seat comprising a folded leaf-springsecured to the support, and

means for holding the leaf-spring partially compressed to determine thenormal setting of the platen-frame on its support..

3. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a frametherefor movable yinto upper and lower case-positions, a support forsaid frame, means for shifting sald frame between case-positions, aspring on said support to cushion and sound-deaden" the impact of said/frame against said support, and means for holding said spring underpartial compression 'to' determine lthe normal setting of said frame onsaid support.

4. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a frametherefor, a support for said frame, means for shifting said framebetween case-positions, a folded leafspring on said support having afiat contact portion to engage said frame for lsounddeadening thestoppage of said frame, and

means for engaging said spring adjacent,y

said flat contact portion to limit the expansion thereof anddeterminethe normal setting of said franie on lsaid support.

, 5. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a platen, a frametherefor, a support for said frame, means for shifting said lonecase-postion to another, a carriage for supporting said platen havingv aforwardlyextendingarm to limit` the movement .0f said flange, means forshifting said frame from one case-position to another, and a.

springA on -said arm for engaging 'said flange and cushioning andsound-deadening lthe impact-of said fiange on said arm.

I 7. In a y.typewriting machine, the combi' nation off-aplaten, a frametherefor having a. forward vertical flange and movable from onecase-posltion to another, a carnage for lsupporting said platen having aforwardlyextending arm to limit the movement kof said flange, means forshifting said jframe.

from one case-position to another, a leafspring on said arm for engagingsaid flange and cushioning and sound-deadening the A impact of saidflange 0n said arm, and

means for limiting the return'movementof l said spring after impact andthus determining the normal setting of said frame on the carriage.

@8. In -a typewriting machine, the.l conibination of a lplaten, a frametherefor having an inclined rearward flange and movable from onecase-position to another, a carriage for supporting said frame having apost thereon adjacent said flange, a leafspring secured to said flangeand folded to form parallel legs having a tendency to lsepara-te, one ofsaid legs engaging said post for cushioning the stoppage of said frame lon its movement to a lower position, and means for limiting thespreading tendency of said legs and thereby determining the n ormalsetting ofv said frame on said carriage.A

9. In a typewriting machine, comprising a mainframe and front cornerposts, a

platen, a platen-frame shiftable from a lower'to an upper case position,`a key-lever vadjacent one of the front corner posts of the machine anddepressible to shift the platen-frame to upper case position, means forreturning the shift-leverto normal position, and a spring on the cornerpost adjacent the shift-lever for arresting the shiftlever in normalposition the spring be-i ing a leaf-spring turned inward from the cornerpost and then .folded forwardand having its free end in alignment `withthe upper edge of the shift-lever.

10. In a typewriting machine, comprising a main frame and front cornerposts, a. platen, a platen-frame shiftable from a lower to an -uppercase position, ya key-lever.

adjacent one' of thefront .corner osts of the machine and depressible.to s ift the platen-frame to upper case position, -means for lreturningthe shift-lever to normal position, and a spring on the corner postadjacent the shift-lever for arresting the shift-lever in normalposition, the spring having an offset engageable with the side' edge ofthe corner postte' prevent 'angular' displacement of the spring.

11. In a typewriting machine, lthe oom-` bination of a main framehavingfront corner posts, a platen,a frame therefor shiftable intoV upper andlower case-positions, a

posts and depressible to shift .said frame to `key-lever adjacentone ofsaid front. corner v upper case-position, aneafns for returning saidshift-lever to normal position, and a' folded leaf-spring secured, to'said corner postand having ya free end ih alignment withthe upper edgeof the shiftlever for arresting it in normal position, said sprmg havingalso an offset engaged with the side edge of said post vfor preventing.angular displacement of said spring.

VALFRED G. F. KUROWSKI.

